Shapiro said in a news release Tuesday that Trump “picked the wrong city and the wrong Commonwealth” when dismantling exhibits at the President’s House.
“Those displays aren’t just signs — they represent our shared history, and if we want to move forward as a nation, we have to be willing to tell the full story of where we came from,” Shapiro said after his office filed an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit from the city seeking torestore the exhibits to the President’s House.
The city filed a suit against the Department of Interior, the National Park Service, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and acting National Park Service Director Jessica Bowron last week while the exhibits were being dismantled by the Park Service.
“There is no virtue in refusing to acknowledge certain aspects of our history because it is painful to do so,” according to an amicus brief filed by the governor’s counsel Tuesday evening. “The removal of the slavery exhibit from the President’s House undermines this commitment and denies Pennsylvanians and others the opportunity to learn more about a part of our history that cannot be ignored.”
Shapiro’s support comes as stakeholders across the country are voicing their outrage against the Trump administration’s efforts to sanitize United States history.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has emphasized the importance of a 2006 cooperative agreement between the city and the federal government.
Parker issued some of her most forceful comments yet against the Trump administration Tuesday night in a video posted to social media, saying that the federal government “breached” this cooperative agreement.
Parker said her administration will continue “fighting” for the panels to be restored.
“This history is a critical part of our nation’s origins, and it deserves to be seen and heard, not just by the people of Philadelphia, but by every person who comes to Philadelphia from around our nation and the world to see and learn from, especially as we celebrate our Semiquincentennial 250th birthday, I want the world to know you cannot erase our history,” Parker said.
“Yes, it is flawed, yes it is imperfect, and yes includes the real life, lived experiences and stories of people who endured a great deal of pain so that America could realize its promise,” she added.
The removal of content from national parks comes after Trump and Burgum issued orders that call for the review and potential removal of content at national parks that “inappropriately disparage Americans past or living.”
In Shapiro’s filing Tuesday, his counsel states that the governor wanted to step in to ensure that important parts of U.S. history are continuing to be told and that he has “a compelling interest in protecting the role of state and local governments within Pennsylvania from the abuses of federal executive power,” such as the Trump administration carrying out the removal without notifying the city.
A hearing on the suit is expected to be held Friday morning.
In her video Tuesday, Parker thanked the governor and other elected officials for their support.
“Philadelphia, we are on the right side of history,” she said.
Staff Writer Abraham Gutman contributed reporting.
WASHINGTON — Two federal officers fired shots during an encounter that killed ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, a Customs and Border Protection official told Congress in a notice sent Tuesday.
The notice said one Border Patrol officer fired his Glock and a CBP officer fired his, according to a notification to Congress obtained by The Associated Press.
Investigators from CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the analysis based on a review of body-worn camera footage and agency documentation, the notice said. The agency is required to report in-custody and certain other deaths involving its agents and officers to Congress.
A Customs and Border Protection official said in the notice that officers tried to take Pretti into custody and he resisted, leading to a struggle. During the struggle, a Border Patrol agent yelled, “He’s got a gun!” multiple times, the official said.
Allen Iverson is being criticized for an allegedly disrespectful visit with a children’s cancer charity in Australia, after a viral Reddit post called out the former Sixer for “absolutely disgusting” conduct at the hospital.
Challenge, a Melbourne-based charity supporting children with cancer, has hosted NBA players such as Shaquille O’Neal, Cameron Johnson, Josh Giddey, Seth Curry, and Carmelo Anthony for visits in the past.
Challenge chief executive officer David Rogers told The Inquirer in a statement on Tuesday that Iverson spent almost two hours engaging with media, executives, and high-profile sports figures, but “in stark contrast,” described the Hall of Famer’s conduct with the children and families as “unacceptable.”
Iverson was set to do a 45-minute meet-and-greet with children and families supported by Challenge. Iverson was more than 90 minutes late, and according to the Reddit post, decided not to sign anything or speak to anyone, adding that his security said he was “having a bad day.”
“My little brother who is 12 years old and is currently receiving chemotherapy for ALCL lymphoma, was so excited to meet one of his idols,” the Reddit post reads. “He came out to be extremely disgusted and disappointed in Allen Iversons[’] [behavior], and so were the other [families].”
Iverson took one group photo and then ended the visit. The poster did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Challenge was deeply disappointed with the meet and greet involving Allen Iverson,” Rogers said in the statement. “There was nothing further we could have done as an organization to improve the experience and, despite working diligently on the day to manage a challenging and at times disrespectful approach from his management team, we believe Allen Iverson ultimately let down the children and families who came to meet him.”
Iverson and his management team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The incident was one of a number of reportedly bad events on Iverson’s recent tour of Australia. Former NBL player Chris Anstey posted on Instagram that Iverson skipped a scheduled free guest-speaking experience with CreativeCubes.Co in Melbourne, canceling two hours after the event was set to begin.
Another former NBL player, Jason Cadee, said on a podcast that Iverson was invited to HoopsFest in Perth, and he spoke for just a few minutes on stage before skipping his scheduled meet-and-greet.
“Iverson comes across and he speaks,” Cadee said. “He walks in the room and he speaks, he spoke pretty well for about seven minutes or eight minutes, gives the mic up and just leaves, that’s it. Apparently there was supposed to be photos, supposed to be some time to mingle, [but he was] out. That was it.”
It is a sentiment long held by residents across Philadelphia, especially those living on side streets, dating back to when snowfall was a more frequent occurrence than it has been in recent years: Don’t expect the city to do a thorough plowing job.
That belief is one that Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has said she is trying to shake with action.
Two days before a storm that whacked the city with 9.3 inches of snow and sleet, Parker, surrounded by the leaders of various agencies, including the Philadelphia Streets Department, vowed to buck precedent on the plowing issue.
“We will make every effort to get to every primary, secondary, and tertiary street in the city of Philadelphia, and that is our standard,” she said, adding it would take “as long as it takes,” citing worker safety.
“But know that we won’t leave any neighborhood, any block, or any community behind.”
Still, residents across the city Tuesday said they were losing patience as side streets and even some secondary streets remained packed with several inches of snow and ice, locking cars in and making navigating intersections impossible.
Fishtown resident Rohan Khadka, 22, was hoping plowing might happen overnight. Instead he woke up Tuesday to streets that were hard for him to cross even with the proper footwear.
“A lot of our roads down here look exactly the same,” he said. “Most of the cleanup that has happened, to my knowledge, has either been by other residents or just cars happening to clean it because they’re using those roads.”
A pedestrian walks through a snow-covered parking lot at Ninth and Arch Streets in Center City Philadelphia, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026.
Analysis of the City of Philadelphia’s PlowPHL data, which tracks the movement of plows via GPS data, showed that about a quarter of streets citywide had received no snow treatment at all — including salting or plowing — after the conclusion of the storm Sunday night.
Some areas were worse off than others.
In places like Overbrook and Wynnefield, the city had salted or plowed about 70% of streets by the end of Sunday morning, when the storm began. But the majority of streets in these neighborhoods received no additional plowing or salting since Sunday, according to city data.
The same was true for about a third of streets in South Philadelphia.
The streets department said Tuesday it was deploying over 200 vehicles and excavators as part of a so-called lifting operation. Fourteen teams were fanning across the city to scoop up snow from the narrow roads and load it into dump trucks on nearby primary streets.
The snow hauls were then being taken to storage sites across the city.
Director of Clean and Green Initiatives Carlton Williams drove through parts of South Philadelphia on Tuesday afternoon, as dozens of the side-street-size excavators made their way through the city’s narrowest byways.
“It is the smaller tertiary streets that are challenging,” he said. “There’s more of them. It’s difficult to navigate through those streets.”
As Williams passed a side street with several inches of snow packed, he noted a car illegally parked on the corner, which would make it difficult for machines to get through.
Williams said this storm came with additional challenges. Not only did the snow fall in a condensed period of time, but it was followed by sleet and frozen rain.
“We wouldn’t have many of the challenges that we’re facing today, slowdowns, if those other weather conditions beyond our control did not exist,” he said. “But again, I want to reassure the public that we’re aware. You see us out here today. We’ll be out here tomorrow, and we’ll continue to fight this storm.”
But for Philadelphians waiting for a plow, time is of the essence.
311 ringing off the hook
For Moya Ferenchak, 30, the effectiveness of the operation carries serious health implications. They started pet sitting on the 1500 block of South Capitol, a South Philly side street, for a friend last Tuesday, bringing exactly one week’s worth of food and lifesaving medication — more than they expected to need.
Ferenchak, who lives with a disability that causes limited mobility, cannot shovel. Calling a car not only is expensive but also would require Ferenchak to travel with all their belongings to an intersection that is not blocked by snow.
Adding to frustrations across the city were reports of inundated 311 phone lines.
“I called first thing this morning, and there was a 50-plus-person queue,” Ferenchak said. “Then I called again, and there was like a 70-plus-person queue. I waited for like an hour or so, and then it hung up on me.”
Alex Wiles of Philadelphia has been hustling during the recent snow, shoveling sidewalks and digging out cars. This photograph was taken along North Second Street near his home, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. He was heading to the bus for a trip to his next client.
The processing of online 311 tickets has also been a source of confusion for residents who wonder if they are being paid attention to. Williams said the complaints are populating a map used to direct plows to avoid redundancies.
“We’ll take that data and get it within the operation,” he said.
Some homes feel the impact more than others
On the 4800 block of Regent Street in West Philadelphia, Justin Rothrauff described the road as “treacherous” for the mix of families and older residents who live there.
“One of the big problems, besides the street not being plowed, is that the plowing that they have done on some of those primary roads has blocked the secondary and tertiary roads,” the 43-year-old teacher said, adding even if he could somehow get his car out of his block, he is not sure he would make it back in.
While Rothrauff had heard of people paying to have their roads shoveled, he feels no one should have to.
“I refuse to pay anyone money, I pay enough taxes in the city,” he said.
For some Philadelphians, some information could go a long way. A much-touted live map of plow operations has been reported for mistakenly listing some streets as plowed, according to the residents who live there.
Ken Wong shovels snow on Waverly Street, in Philadelphia, Monday, Jan. 26, 2026.
Krista Dedrick-Lai, 45, a South Philly resident, hopes the city will do more to tell people about plowing statuses, and explain why their streets are still covered in snow days after the storm, even if the answers are not what they are hoping to hear.
“Sometimes context can make everyone feel better,” she said, noting her block on Federal Street got a plow Monday and Tuesday, but the snow banks had blocked cars in.
Fortunately, she said, she and her husband have not needed to leave their house to work or to help their child learn through third-grade virtual learning modules.
Others, however, do not have that flexibility. Making matters worse, more snow may be on the horizon this weekend.
It’s been a roller coaster of a January for the Flyers.
Within 27 days, the Flyers have claimed wins against the two-time Stanley Cup finalist Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks, endured a six-game losing streak, and snatched five of six points across the new Death Valley.
Monday brought a reality check as the Flyers faced a division opponent, the New York Islanders, and were handed a 4-0 loss. But coach Rick Tocchet has emphasized how important it is for his club to remain at an even keel.
“It’s huge,” forward Travis Konecny said when asked about Tocchet’s approach, which was also stated by Jamie Drysdale after the game Monday.
“I mean, even during a game, I know, I get pretty intense and frustrated, but it’s important to just reset every shift and not let things drag on. Especially coming in this morning, a positive attitude, be excited to play, be excited to practice, and on we go.”
The Flyers now head to Columbus to face a Blue Jackets team that has only lost once in six games since Rick Bowness took over following the dismissal of former coach Dean Evason on Jan. 12. And it’s another critical game against a division foe that trails the Flyers by just two points in a tight Eastern Conference. The Flyers are currently two points back of the Islanders for the final playoff spot in the Metro, albeit with a game in hand, and six points back in the wild card, also with games in hand.
While Tocchet likes that his team is so close and has been resilient, he did say Tuesday that part of being close is holding each other accountable when warranted.
“I’d like to see them get on each other a little bit. In a positive way — I’m not saying yell and scream — but whether it’s practice, or if somebody makes a mistake after the first in the dressing room after the coaches leave don’t be afraid to make your friend accountable,“ the coach said. ”Sometimes we’re all buddies and they’re scared to say something. I find that a little bit with this team. The teams that I’ve played or coached with the leadership gets on each other, in a good way. That’s probably the next level for this team.”
If the Flyers are to stay in playoff contention, one thing they’ll need is the top line of Konecny, Trevor Zegras, and Christian Dvorak to rediscover its game. Since Jan. 1, Konecny has nine points in 11 games (he missed one game with an upper-body injury), and Zegras and Dvorak have seven apiece across 12 contests. From the outside, those numbers don’t look bad, but the glaring issue is their plus-minus; Konecny is a surprising minus-3, Zegras is minus-4, and Dvorak is minus-8.
According to Natural Stat Trick, when the trio has been on the ice as a line at five-on-five since Jan. 1, the Flyers have allowed a greater share of shot attempts (54.34%), shots (53.49%), scoring chances (54.08%), and more high-danger goals (2-3). The one plus: they have managed to outscore opponents, 6-4.
After averaging a point per game through his first 41 games as a Flyer, Trevor Zegras has two goals, five points, and is a minus-five over his last 10 games.
But it’s a marked difference from the 38 games before the flip of the calendar. In those games, with that trio on the ice, the Flyers scored nine goals and allowed nine, but outshot (52.29%), outchanced from high-danger areas (63.01%), and outscored opponents from high-danger spots by a wide margin (7-2). They were also even in scoring chances.
“I hate to use the word cheating; they’re cheating for offense,” Tocchet said of his top line’s game recently. “You’ve got to go through the procession to get offense. … And I think they put pressure on themselves. It’s not like a lot of guys are filling the net. So they feel that they have to be that line, but you can’t be that line that just cheats for offense.
“You’ve got to play the right way. You’ll get the same amount of chances in the long run, and that’s the way you’re supposed to play the game anyway.”
The Flyers need their top line to produce. Konecny played well during his latest streak, a four-game one with six points, which ended on Monday. But Dvorak has just two goals and one assist in the past seven games, all of which came in the OT loss to Utah, including one tally on the power play. Zegras has also cooled off considerably. He had 41 points in the first 41 games of the season, but has scored only twice in the 10 games since his emotional multi-goal game against his former club, the Anaheim Ducks.
“I think get to the inside with the puck. I feel like we’re kind of one-and-done plays right now, which is something we know, and we’re talking about,” Zegras said of his line.
“It’s not like, ‘oh, we think we’re perfect and then we don’t have to do the little things or the hard things.’ I just think it’s that next play that we have to get back to making, whether it’s beating a check or supporting a guy in a corner. But I think just getting that puck to the inside.”
Breakaways
Dan Vladař participated in practice again but remains listed on injured reserve. Aleksei Kolosov was at the team’s practice, too. … The defensive pairings had Emil Andrae on the outside looking in. Tocchet said on Tuesday he felt the Swedish defenseman “seems to skate into trouble and he’s been losing the puck a lot.” … Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen returned to the lineup on Monday after missing six games with an upper-body injury. He said it “[stunk] to kind of watch from the couch,” but said, while it’s never easy, he was able to slide right back into the lineup because the “last couple of years, I’m kind of used to it [but] it was a lot easier to come back after missing 10 days than when I was out for nine months.”
A federal judge has issued a temporary order prohibiting the removal of a 5-year-old Ecuadoran boy and his father who were detained last week in Minnesota in an incident that further inflamed divisions on immigration under the Trump administration.
U.S. Judge Fred Biery ruled Monday that any removal or transfer of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, is on hold while a court case proceeds.
A petition seeking their release was filed Saturday as dozens of immigrant families protested behind the fences of the family detention facility where the father and son are detained in Dilley, Texas, near San Antonio.
A photo of the boy wearing a beanie and a Spiderman backpack has circulated widely on social media, sparking strong reactions.
“He has become emblematic of the monstrosity of the ICE system and the detention system,” U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro said in a Facebook video. He used the post to announce that he and fellow Texas Democratic, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, would visit the father and son on Wednesday at the Dilley Detention Center.
The boy and his father were taken into custody last week outside their home in Minnesota. Neighbors and school officials say that federal immigration officers used the preschooler as “bait” by telling him to knock on the door to his house so that his mother would answer.
The Department of Homeland Security has called that description of events an “abject lie.” It said the father fled on foot and left the boy in a running vehicle in their driveway.
Ramos’ attorney, Jennifer Scarborough, didn’t immediately respond to phone or email messages from The Associated Press seeking comment. The Department of Homeland Security sent a response only reiterating their version of events, insisting they did not arrest or target the child. Their statement did not address the judge’s court order.
Federal officials have said the father was in the U.S. illegally, without offering details. Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, said the man entered the country in December 2024.
The family’s attorney said he had a pending asylum claim allowing him to stay in the country.
An online court summary shows the case was filed on Dec. 17, 2024, and is assigned to the immigration court inside the Dilley detention center.
The child’s immigration status may be a critical factor, and it is unclear if the 5-year-old was legally in the United States. If he wasn’t, he may be subject to deportation with one or both parents.
The Streets Department on Tuesday is removing snow that has piled up around City Hall, and the operation requires street closures on nearby blocks, the agency said.
With the region expected to remain in a prolonged deep freeze, there is no chance the snow piles will melt anytime soon. And weather forecasters say the region might be hit with another storm this weekend, so the city is eager to get rid of the existing snow.
The “lifting operation” includes the removal of snow using dozens of vehicles, including excavators and loaders, the department said Tuesday.
The city already has been conducting lifting operations in North Philadelphia, removing snow from Girard Avenue and nearby neighborhoods since Sunday evening, the department said.
In Harrisburg, a top Democrat floated making Pennsylvania a so-called sanctuary state to protect undocumented immigrants.
And in Washington, senators faced mounting pressure to hold up funding for the Department of Homeland Security, an effort that could result in a government shutdown by the end of the week.
Across the nation, lawmakers are fielding calls to rein in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after President Donald Trump’s administration surged forces into Minneapolis as part of his aggressive nationwide deportation campaign. Frustration with the agency reached new heights Saturday after agents fatally shot protester Alex Pretti, the second killing of a U.S. citizen there this month.
Democrats nationwide slammed ICE and called on Trump to pull the forces out of Minnesota. Sen. John Fetterman, the Pennsylvania Democrat who has at times sided with Trump on immigration matters, said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem should be fired.
Anti-ICE activists demonstrate outside U.S. Sen. John Fetterman’s Philadelphia office on Monday, calling for an end to federal immigration enforcement policies.
A growing number of Republicans have also signaled their discomfort with the Minneapolis operation, including Trump allies who called on members of the administration to testify before Congress. Sen. Dave McCormick, a Pennsylvania Republican, has called for an independent investigation into Pretti’s killing.
Trump, for his part, showed some willingness to change course, sending border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis to meet with Democratic leaders there. The president on Tuesday called Pretti’s death a “very sad situation.”
Rue Landau shown here during a press conference at City Hall to announce a package of bills aimed at pushing back against ICE enforcement in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
However, a chorus of Democrats and activists said Tuesday that the agency needs to change its tactics and be held accountable for missteps. And local leaders said they are laying out plans in case a surge of immigration enforcement comes to Philadelphia, home to an estimated 76,000 undocumented immigrants.
“We have spent hours and hours and hours doing tabletop exercises to prepare for it,” Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said during a Monday night interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Philadelphia officials said the best way they can prepare is by limiting the city’s cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
City Councilmember Kendra Brooks, of the progressive Working Families Party, and Councilmember Rue Landau, a Democrat, were joined by dozens of activists and other elected officials during a news conference Tuesday to unveil a package of legislation aimed at codifying into law the city’s existing “sanctuary city” practices.
Those policies, which are currently executive orders, bar city officials from holding undocumented immigrants in custody at ICE’s request without a judicial warrant.
Landau and Brooks’ legislative package, expected to be introduced in Council on Thursday, goes further, preventing ICE agents from wearing masks, using city-owned property for staging raids, or accessing city databases.
Erika Guadalupe Núñez, executive director of immigrant advocacy organization Juntos, said the legislation “goes beyond just ‘We don’t collaborate.’”
Juntos gets regular calls about ICE staging operations at public locations in and around Philadelphia, and people have been worried, despite official assurances, whether personal information held by the city will be secure from government prying.
“We deserve a city that has elected leadership that’s willing to step forward with clear and stronger protections,” Núñez said.
A protester speaks to a Minnesota State Patrol officer near the site of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis on Saturday.
If the legislation is approved, Philadelphia would have some of the most stringent protections for immigrants in the country.
Oregon has especially strong restrictions against cooperation with federal immigration authorities, including barring local law enforcement from detaining people or collecting information on a person’s immigration status without a judicial warrant.
In Illinois, local officers “may not participate, support, or assist in any capacity with an immigration agent’s enforcement operations.” They are also barred from granting immigration agents access to electronic databases or to anyone in custody.
California, New York, Colorado, Vermont — and individual jurisdictions in those states — also provide strong protections for immigrants.
In New Jersey, Gov. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat who was sworn in last week, has kept the state’s sanctuary directive in place as lawmakers seek to expand and codify the policy into law. Legislators came close in the final days of former Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration, but he killed a related bill that had won approval in Trenton, saying he worried that enacting a law that included changes to the state’s current policy would invite new lawsuits.
Meanwhile, some conservatives say bolstering sanctuary policies risks community safety.
“If an illegal immigrant breaks the law, they should be dealt with and handed over to federal law enforcement, not be released back into our neighborhoods to terrorize more victims and commit more crime,” said James Markley, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Republican Party.
He added: “Sanctuary policies don’t protect communities, they endanger all of us by shielding criminals from accountability for their crimes.”
Democrats are taking varying approaches
The widespread outrage over ICE’s tactics in Minneapolis has exposed sharp divisions in elected Democrats’ responses.
“There will be accountability now. There will be accountability in the future. There will be accountability after [Trump] is out of office,” Krasner said Tuesday. “If we have to hunt you down the way they hunted down Nazis for decades, we will find your identities.”
District Attorney Larry Krasner speaks during a news conference at City Hall on Tuesday to announce a package of bills aimed at pushing back against ICE enforcement in Philadelphia.
Somewhere in the middle is State Sen. Sharif Street, a Philadelphia Democrat and former head of the state party who is running for Congress.
Street does not have Krasner’s bombast, but this week he announced plans to introduce legislation to prevent state dollars from funding federal immigration enforcement. The bill has less of a chance of becoming law in Pennsylvania’s divided state legislature than similar measures would in Philadelphia, where City Council is controlled by a supermajority of Democrats.
“Who knows the amount of money that the state could incur because of Trump’s reckless immigration policies?” Street said in an interview Tuesday. “I don’t think state taxpayers should be paying for Donald Trump’s racist, reckless policies.”
The mayor’s critics have said her approach is not responsive to the city’s overwhelmingly Democratic residents.
“To the people of Philadelphia, I want to say: I hear you. You want ICE out of our city, and you want your local government to take action,” Brooks, the Council member, said Tuesday. “Some people believe that silence is the best policy when dealing with a bully, but that’s never been an option for me.”
Kendra Brooks shown here during a news conference at City Hall on Tuesday to announce a package of bills aimed at pushing back against ICE enforcement in Philadelphia.
Others say Parker’s conflict-averse strategy is appropriate.
“All of us have different roles to play,” Street said. “The mayor has to manage the city. She’s got to command law enforcement forces. … As a state legislator, we make policy.”
Rafael Mangual, a fellow who studies urban crime and justice at the right-leaning Manhattan Institute in New York City, said legislative efforts to erect barriers between federal and local law enforcement could backfire.
“If you don’t engage at all, and you do something that seems to actively frustrate the federal government,” Mangual said, “that would seem to be an invitation for the federal government to prioritize a city like Philadelphia.”
Staff writers Alfred Lubrano, Aliya Schneider, and Gillian McGoldrick contributed to this article.
RICHMOND, Va. — A Virginia judge ruled Tuesday that a proposed constitutional amendment letting Democrats redraw the state’s Congressional maps was illegal, setting back the party’s efforts to pick up seats in the U.S. House in November.
Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. struck down the legislature’s actions on three grounds, including finding that lawmakers failed to follow their own rules for adding the redistricting amendment to a special session.
His order also said Democrats failed to approve the amendment before the public began voting in last year’s general election and failed to publish the amendment three months before the election, as required by law.
As a result, he said, the amendment was invalid and void.
Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, who was listed in Republicans’ lawsuit over the resolution, said Democrats would appeal the ruling.
“Nothing that happened today will dissuade us from continuing to move forward and put this matter directly to the voters,” Scott said in a joint statement with other state Democratic leaders.
Virginians for Fair Elections, a campaign that supports the redistricting resolution, accused conservatives of filing their lawsuit in a known GOP-friendly jurisdiction, saying, “Republicans court-shopped for a ruling because litigation and misinformation are the only tools they have left.”
President Donald Trump launched an unusual mid-decade redistricting battle last summer when he urged Republican officials in Texas to redraw districts to help the GOP win more seats, hoping to hold on to a narrow House majority in the face of political headwinds that typically favor the party out of power in midterms.
So far that battle has resulted in nine more seats that Republicans believe they can win in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio, and six that Democrats think they can win in California and Utah. Democrats hope to fully or partially make up that three-seat margin in Virginia.
As in Virginia, redistricting is still being litigated in several states, and there is no guarantee that the parties will win the seats they have redrawn.
Other states still could join the fray: Democratic Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is pushing for revised districts that could help Democrats win all eight of the state’s U.S. House seats, up from the seven they currently hold, and Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis plans to call a special session on redistricting in April.
Hurley’s ruling comes after lawmakers said they would unveil their proposed new House districts to voters by the end of this week.
The state is currently represented in the House by six Democrats and five Republicans from districts whose boundaries were imposed by a court after a bipartisan redistricting commission failed to agree on a map after the 2020 census.
Because the commission was established by a voter-approved constitutional amendment, lawmakers have to revise the constitution in order to be able to redraw maps this year. That requires the pass a resolution in two separate legislative sessions, with a state election sandwiched in between.
Virginians would have to vote in favor in a referendum.
Blink and you’ll miss it — a sea of Phillies red will be back at Citizens Bank Park for the home opener against the Texas Rangers on Thursday, March 26, with first pitch set for 4:15 p.m.
Along with the on-field action, fans can expect the return of one of baseball’s best supporting casts: the uniquely local ballpark food.
Aramark, which has refreshed the Phillies’ in-stadium menu for four decades, is still putting the finishing touches on a handful of new, experimental bites. While the full 2026 lineup hasn’t been officially announced, longtime fans know there’s a reliable cast of classics that tend to return year after year.
Here’s what we’re ready to welcome back this season, from soft serve worth the sticky fingers to Jersey Shore-style slices that taste like summer.
Served with a side of gravy at Citizens Bank Park, Bulls BBQ’s stuffed turkey egg rolls come with stuffing and cranberry sauce.
Ballpark favorites
General concession stands can be spotted throughout CBP, typically offering old faithfuls like Hatfield Phillies jumbo franks, Federal Pretzel braids, and a mix of domestic and local beer options.
With a little game planning, you could score either a hot dog, a super pretzel, a popcorn box, or a soda for $5 each. And around $10 for a sizable combo at most concession stands in the park.
(You can find these gems at South Philadelphia Market, Hatfield Grill, Cooperstown Café, Shibe Park Eatery, and other concessions throughout the park.)
Two buckets of crabfries from a Chickie’s & Pete’s concession stand at Citizens Bank Park, as shown in this 2023 file photo. One basket is more than $15, not including a side of cheese, at the ballpark this season.
Chickie’s & Pete’s
While not as price-friendly as the previously mentioned menu items, Chickie’s & Pete’s Crabfries are worth every penny. The nearly $20 price tag may seem high for an Old Bay-seasoned fry basket, but the savory offering has won over fans’ hearts for a reason. Oh, and don’t forget to add the cheese sauce on the way out.
Manco & Manco Pizza
This Ocean City staple delivers one of the best slices you’ll find at the ballpark. Go for a personal pie of the iconic thin-crust pizza, then settle in with your crew and let the Phils do the rest against their big-league rivals.
P.J. Whelihan’s
P.J. Whelihan’s is a trusted Citizens Bank Park standby — and for good reason. From savory onion rings to fiery boneless wing combos and crowd-pleasing cheesesteak egg rolls, this original Poconos-area favorite has earned its spot as a must-visit at the ballpark.
1883 Burger Co.
A homage to the year the Phillies were founded, 1883 Burger Co. gives the nation’s oldest, continuously running franchise its proper due. The spot’s smash burgers are stacked with fresh veggies and a flattering dose of Thousand Island, all resting on a soft, buttery bun that seals all of its savory glory in one.
A cheeseburger from Shake Shack at Citizens Bank Park.
Shake Shack
In case the line at 1883 Burger Co. is slammed, stop by Shake Shack for a cheeseburger that’s made the fast-food chain a national treasure. Then wash it down with a hand-spun shake, coming in multiple flavors.
Colbie’s Southern Kissed Chicken
Indulge in Southern-style comfort, brought to you by Phillies legend Ryan Howard. Along with original and Nashville Hot chicken sandwiches, try the Peach Spoon Pie dessert and The Big Piece, an unmistakable ode to the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Famer.
Jerk chicken sandwich from Bull’s BBQ concession stand at Citizens Bank Park on April 9, 2023.
Bull’s BBQ
What’s not to love about burnt-end cheesesteaks, pulled pork, smoked rib platters, and turkey collard greens? Bull’s BQ, a main course concession staple, brings at-home barbecue to your stadium seat. The real highlight is the jerk chicken sandwich, complete with a plantain (or two) for an extra pinch of Caribbean flavor.
Campo’s
If you’re looking for a cheesesteak on game day, stop by Campo’s for the ballpark’s widest variety of the classic sandwich. The Old City staple has everything from a traditional cheesesteak and chicken cheesesteak to a buffalo-sauced sandwich and a vegetarian version.
Doughnuts from Federal Donuts concession stand at Citizens Bank Park on April 9, 2023.
Federal Donuts & Chicken
There are few things better than hand-battered tenders, boneless chicken sandwiches, and freshly made doughnuts from the brainchild of world-famous restaurateurs Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook of CookNSolo Restaurant, as well as Tom Henneman, Felicia D’Ambrosio, and Bob Logue. Stopping by this South Philly-born franchise at CBP is always a home run.
Greens & Grains
Ballpark food isn’t just fare for meat lovers. The grub at Greens & Grains is proof that vegan or vegetarian fans don’t have to settle for french fries or pretzels. The vegan and plant-based eatery offers restaurant-quality dishes like Chk’n parm pesto, gyro pita, and a vegan hot dog.
A cheesesteak from Uncle Charlie’s Steaks at Citizens Bank Park.
Uncle Charlie’s Steaks
For classic cheesesteaks at CBP, Uncle Charlie’s Steaks has earned the trust of Phillies fans. The smell of smoked rib-eye and Cooper sharp cheese can be spotted yards away. And the taste certainly matches the pleasant aroma.
Tony Luke’s
The South Philly-made franchise is a ballpark favorite, thanks to the roast pork sandwich and famed cheesesteak. Between the two, the roast pork is among the best CBP has to offer. Don’t believe me? Try it yourself.
Baker Bowl Bistro and Connie Mack’s
For some high-end ballpark bites, this Hall of Fame Club suites destination houses chef-attended specialties like a seared crab cake sandwich and a black bean veggie burger that rivals any other one in CBP.
Chocolate ice cream and sprinkles from Old City Creamery at Citizens Bank Park on April 9, 2023.
Old City Creamery
Old City Creamery is a kid’s dream. Not only do they leave with Richman’s delicious soft serve, stacked with toppings of their choice, but they also get a miniature Phillies batting helmet to go. Sounds like a win to me.
Philadelphia Water Ice
Whether you pronounce it water or “wooder” ice, it makes no difference. This regional staple is all the more delicious under the stadium lights on a simmering summer day. The simple mix of water, sugar, and refreshing fruit flavors is a hit out of the park every time.
A cup of mango water ice from Philadelphia Water Ice concession stand at Citizens Bank Park.
